Thunderstruck
by Dologram
Summary: After a far more brutal and quick battle after Dumbledore's death, Harry Potter realises pretty damn fast what war truly means. Harry kicks into action and becomes smarter and trains harder in his final months of protecting the Dursley's, and when Horcrux hunting season comes around, he will be ready.
1. Prologue - Hogwarts

Yes, this chapter is short because it's a prologue, but the other chapters will hopefully be longer. ( I don't know, I haven't written them yet, xD) I'll make an effort for them to be longer than this at least. Hope you enjoy.

"Severus, please." The old man whispered, his body shaking, and his hair whipping in the wind.

The man in black steeled himself and gave the slightest of nods. To Albus Dumbledore, it was the comfort he needed, knowing that Snape would complete the tasks he had been set. Dumbledore closed his eyes and felt 157 years of life catch up with him. He let a single tear fall as he went over all the mistakes he had made in his life, and all the things that would happen after his death. Only in this moment of death did he recognise the world for what it truly was. It was dark. It was twisted. It was disgusting.

It was _evil._

But then he thought of the light, and the good. He remembered Harry and his friends, and all of the wonderful students he had taught. He remembered the good times with Gellert Grindelwald and the fun times with Nicolas Flamel, he remembered his sister. Arianna. That nod comforted him there would be no more Arianna's, no more innocents caught in the cross fire of a divided world.

All of this passed his mind within the space of a second, and a small shred of a smile made his way to his face as he heard his most trusted ally intone the killing words.

" _Avada Kedavra."_ Severus Snape whispered, fuelling his hate for Voldemort into the spell, and watching in horror as his mentor blasted through the railings of the Astronomy tower and fell, almost in slow motion to the earth.

* * *

Harry swallowed roughly and clenched his fists. Anger bubbled and writhed within him as he watched a man he had trusted for so long being murdered by a man he hadn't. He watched Bellatrix Lestrange laugh at the death of the greatest wizard of all time and he felt rage. Pure, unbridled hatred. He knew he couldn't take them on, and made a decision to turn and get as many people to help as possible.

He turned on his heel and silently hurried down the steps and ran headfirst into Malfoy, who had started down the steps before him, sending the pair crashing down the remaining ten steps of the tower.

Malfoy stared at Harry, and Harry stared at Malfoy. The look in Malfoy's eyes was horrible. It made Harry want to curl up and cry. Malfoy may have been a bully, but there was a difference between being a bully and being a Death Eater. Malfoy knew that. The tortured look in his eyes was that which washed away six years of torment between the two for the briefest moment.

"Oh Draaaacoooooo!" Bellatrix cackled. "What was that noise?"

Malfoy didn't look away from Harry's eyes. "I tripped, Auntie." He called back up. "Go. _Now._ " He added in a harsh whisper to Harry and Harry nodded, before silently sprinting down the corridor.

Harry skidded to a halt in the seventh floor corridor and raised his wand at the two Death Eaters in front of him.

" _Diffindo!"_ He roared, knowing the battle would start sooner or later, and the element of surprise was one he needed against vastly more powerful and more experienced wizards without a care to make them falter.

The lilac spell sliced through the air, and kept on slicing through the air, straight through the first Death Eater's wrist, taking his wand hand from him. His partner jumped around in shock, crushing his friends disembodied hand and wand, snapping the fragile stick in two.

The death eater fired silently, but Harry knew it wasn't good and rolled forwards out of the way as the Death Eater broke into a sprint firing curse after spell repeatedly. The ground behind him exploded and the ceiling caved in, and spells splashed against the aged stonework of the thousand year old castle. Harry jumped and kicked off the wall without thinking, and fired a _Confringo_ into the Death Eater and watched in horror from above as the man was blown apart in a violent, fiery, explosion.

Unused to his instinctual manoeuvre, Harry landed his jump wrong, and instead of bending his knees and rolling like he should have, he kicked his legs in fright at the rapidly approaching ground and seriously twisted his ankle and fractured his leg on the landing. Harry crawled forward on his knees and threw up at the carnage before him. The smell of burning flesh permeated the air and the sizzling charred left arm of the Death Eater fell in front of him. Harry watched the Dark Mark scream in pain as it was consumed by the fire, and started to retch, as there was nothing left to come up.

He managed to crawl away from the man he had just killed. Jesus. He couldn't get over that. He had _killed_ a man. It left him feeling cold and awful. He was sixteen, and he had killed a man. And not in a clean way either. He propped himself up against the wall after two minutes of crawling. He looked back and saw the man who's hand he had cut off collapsed on the floor unconscious, holding his cauterised stump. The heat from the blast had cauterised it. Harry managed to find something else to violently eject from his stomach as he thought about the graphic details.

Remus Lupin, Ginny and Ron Weasley as well as Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom emerged from around a corner and ran to his propped up form.

"Harry!" Hermione asked, panic in her voice. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm not hurt." Harry croaked out, before looking at her, and then up at the others. "I just killed a man."

There was a gasp from the two Weasley's and Hermione who wrapped him in a tight hug, sobbing into his shoulder. Remus just looked at him with sad eyes.

"I'm so, incredibly sorry you had to do that, Harry." Remus said lowly, his head hanging. "It's not a good experience and it doesn't get better." He looked up at him. "But you do. As a person. You learn that it is necessary in this war and you move on and you mourn and think about what you've done later." Remus crouched down as Hermione pulled away and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "We need you to be strong Harry. Get through tonight."

Harry stood up shaking and wrapped the were-wolf in a hug of his own, before turning to his two ginger friends and Neville. He gave Hermione a slightly longer hug subconsciously, before letting out a deep breath. "I've probably drawn the attention of Bellatrix and Snape. We need to go."

"Snape?" Ginny asked. "He's a Death Eater? Properly?"

Harry felt his heart drop as he realised that as of yet, no-one but him knew of Dumbledore's death. Remus and his best-friends were waiting impatiently for his response. "Yes," Harry managed to get out, tears filling his eyes as he said the next part of the story. "He killed Dumbledore."

Neville shook his head. "Are you sure, Harry."

"I'm not bloody making it up, am I?" He said angrily, wiping away tears with his sleeve."We need to move. Now."

The three ran ahead leaving Remus and Harry to follow. "Mourn later, yeah?" Harry looked at him.

Remus gave him a sad smile, and Harry noticed how old he looked. "Mourn later."

They chased after the other three and cursed as a cloud of impenetrable darkness clouded them.

"Peruvian Darkness Powder," Harry shouted out, grabbing Remus's hand and pulling him towards him. "Remember the D.A!" Harry called, and everyone got back to back in a small circle facing outwards.

Footsteps raced across the corridor and Ron took them out with a well placed _Stupefy,_ which Hermione followed up with an _Incarcerous._ Remus and Harry took out another two of the mystery figures, and Ginny and Neville ganged up on another. Flashes of scarlet spell fire briefly shone through the darkness.

"For fucks sake, were friendlies!" The unmistakable voice of a Weasley twin cried out.

The darkness cleared and the six could see what they had done. Tonks lay stunned and bound behind them, and George Weasley was stunned on the floor near her. Emmaline Vance was across the room, and Bill Weasley and Fleur Dealcour lay stunned beside each other. Moody, Charlie and Fred Weasley went about reviving them.

"Excellent formation Potter, and well done for not panicking." Moody growled out. ",But there isn't time for praise. I dunno if you've heard but Dumbledore just went down off the Astronomy Tower, and that bastard traitor Snape and his mangy Death Eater dogs are making their way to the Forest. We need to get going."

With everybody revived the group made their way down and out of the castle just in time to see Hagrid's hut burst into flame. The roof caved in and the gentle-giant ran out with his cross-bow. He didn't look so friendly as he lined up his eyesight and fired a crossbow bolt through Snape's leg with deadly accuracy. A bit of wall knocked him down, and Charlie ran to drag him away from the burning hut as the rest pressed on. Harry exchanged curses with Snape, firing his own _Sectumsempra_ at him, causing Snape to turn, his face a mask of anger.

"You simply don't understand, _Potter._ " Snape roared, firing a string of non-lethal curses that would still put him out for the count.

"I understand plenty!" Harry screamed, not half as reserved with his spells, forcing Snape to throw up a shield and go onto the defensive. He was so engrossed in his rage-fuelled battle withe Snape to notice his surroundings, and was taken off his feet by a swinging branch of the wailing Whomping Willow.

Fenir Greyback fired a spell at Hermione, who threw up a shield and deflected it into the castle, leaving a deep scar in the wall. She retaliated with an _Incendio,_ causing him to jump out the way hissing, and she moved on to a different Death Eater as he scurried away. Remus and Fleur were battling three Death Eaters as one, whilst Tonks and Moody used their Auror training to brutally, quickly and permanently take out some of the lower skilled Death Eaters. The Weasley twins battled as one dynamic machine, never stopping, never faltering and becoming a blur. One Death Eater was sliced clean in half from his shoulder to his hip and slid apart and they didn't stop to look.

Harry got to his feet clutching someone's hand for support. "Thank you," he got out and Emmaline Vance nodded before her life was whisked away by that sickly green spell. Harry jumped back in shock. The fight was coming to a close as they got to the Quidditch field, pressing the Death Eaters back. Greyback, currently in a duel with Bill tossed his wand to the side and lunged forward, tearing half of the eldest Weasley's face off.

Bill let out a blood curdling scream and he clutched his face. Fleur screamed and ran to him as Greyback raised his sharp-nailed hands already stained with Bill's blood and flesh to deliver the killing blow. Fleur's powerful _Bombarda_ struck him in the side and he went flying almost fifty feet back in the span of two seconds. She dropped to her knees by her boyfriend's side.

Harry was sweating and panting and tired. He gritted his teeth for the final push, and uttered one last _Stupefy_ before they reached the ward-border, and the Death Eaters, including Bellatrix, Dolohov, Rabastan, Rodolphous, and of course, Snape dissaparated. Greyback, who had been launched out the wards stood to his feet groggily. Charlie ran at him with scary speed and roared out as he went:

" _Reducto!"_

Greyback's eyes widened at the incoming doom and dissaparated a second before the tree behind him was torn to splinters.

"Fucking Hell!" Charlie screamed in rage at losing the were-wolf.

The tree creaked and collapsed, smashing into the ground loudly. The grounds behind them were a war zone, and the air stank of ozone and magic.


	2. Chapter 1 - Bad Moon Rising

The funeral of Albus Dumbledore had not been a quiet affair.

Almost every living witch and wizard that had been taught by the old man, and even a sizeable amount that hadn't had gathered within the grounds of Hogwarts and all sat in black with their heads bowed low as Aberfoth Dumbledore read a few kind words. The grounds were dark on the July night, but were lit up with thousands of candles that floated in the sky silently. Harry sat wedged in between Dean and Hermione, with Hermione's head on his shoulder, and his arm around her. He looked up to the darkness of the Hospital Wing where his other best friend currently was, looking after his oldest brother.

"I did not always get on with my brother," Aberfoth barked out in his raspy, dry voice. "I rarely spoke to him, and when I did, it was often to insult him. Many of you with younger brothers will know what I'm talking about." His voice hitched slightly. "I'm 162 years old in a month, and I expected to die long before my brother Albus did. While you may refuse to admit it, as you only saw him from the public eye, much like everybody else he was a flawed human being."

"Now I will not go into the specifics of why I say that, as they are family matters." Aberfoth continued. "I wish I had told him how proud I was of his unbelievable achievements, and I wish I told him how much I envied him. He had an Order of Merlin. I have a pub. He was the leader of the ICW, and I ran a blackjack club. I will never, and have never lived up to the unmatchable standards my brother lived up to, and quite frankly if anybody says they have they can come and see me."

There was a smattering of light applause and sniffles as Aberfoth walked off the raised platform. Minerva McGonagall walked up as he walked off and they hugged briefly before she stood at the podium, wiping her eyes.

"I think we all expected Albus Dumbledore to outlive us all, if I'm honest," she joked lightly, sending a small sad chuckle through the crowd of thousands. "I remember him teaching me transfiguration from fourth year to graduation, and when I came to work for him as a teacher, he looked not one day older." She took a breath. "He most likely would have outlived us all, if he had not been so cruelly taken from us. Severus Tobias Snape. The traitor. The _Death Eater._ A man our friend trusted, A man _I_ trusted, killed him." She broke down sobbing at this point, and Flitwick hugged her waist comfortingly.

She smiled down at him kindly, through a mask of tears. The other teachers all joined her on the stand silently, wearing mixed faces of distress, and being somber. Even Sybil Trelawney looked uncharacteristically mournful. Together, as one, the faculty of Hogwarts put to rest their beloved friend and colleague, Albus Dumbledore, in a tomb of white marble. Buried with his wand and favourite purple robes, the thick, heavy slabs closed in and finally buried the Leader of the Light.

Hermione let out a sob Ito Harry's shoulder, and Harry squeezed her tighter. There was a resounding _boom_ as the stone settled into place, almost like a full stop on the life of Dumbledore. Like the end of a chapter in Harry's life. Hermione had started full on crying, as had many others in the crowd, and Harry cradled her close to him.

"No more," he whispered to himself. " _No. More._ "

* * *

Harry walked up to the Hospital Wing, with Hermione in tow. She had cried herself dry, and whilst her eyes were red and her makeup had been dabbed away with tissues, no tears fell. She had none left. Harry embraced her in one last hug outside the doors of the Hospital Wing, tucking the top oh her head under his chin.

"This war," Hermione croaked, "It's real now, isn't it."

Harry didn't answer for a second, before moving his head in the affirmative. "Yes it is. And when you, Ron and I get alone after this, I need to tell you something. Something which could possibly end it."

Hermione pulled away and looked up into his eyes, and Harry's heart stopped as her wonderful chocolate eyes looked straight through him. "Whatever it is, Harry, I'm with you." She sniffed before pulling away suddenly and flattening out her skirt and top, as if she had just realised how long she had been hugging Harry for. "And Ron will be too." she said surely.

They pushed the doors open and Ron turned to look at them a sad smile on his face. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it," he said.

"It's not your fault at all," Harry assured him, "You don't need to worry about it. How's Bill?"

Ron looked truly depressed for a moment and beckoned them towards him. Harry had a strong feeling if he spoke he would cry, and didn't pressure him to answer. He absentmindedly pulled Hermione by the hand close to the bed with him. Ron pulled the curtain aside, and they saw the hospitalised Weasley.

Fleur looked like she had passed out on his chest holding his hand, and while she was asleep, Bill was wide awake.

"Heya," he tried to get out. He looked remarkably undamaged, but Harry realised he couldn't see the rest of his face. He didn't want to. He wanted to run so far away and never come back but he didn't. He stayed.

"Hi, Bill." Hermione said kindly, closely followed by Harry. "How are you?"

Bill turned to look at them and they saw the other half of his face. If it could be called that. His skin had been completely torn off and all of the inner workings of his face were visible. The tendons and muscles that operated his jaw looked like pistons in his mouth as he opened it to talk. "What do you think?" He snapped, before sighing. "I apologise. It isn't your fault I look like bloody two-face."

Hermione snorted slightly at that and the half of Bills face that could smiled. "Yeah, Tonks laughed at that as well. No-one else seems to get it though. I guess no-one else reads muggle comics."

At that point the door burst open, and Bill craned his neck, hoping with all his heart to see the horned-rimmed glasses of his missing brother, who had abandoned the family for the Ministry.

He was sadly disappointed.

A burly man with sandy blonde hair and a bald dark-skinned man of about twenty burst in. "Bill?" The bald man asked feverishly.

"In here, Wes." Bill croaked, a smile returning to his face at the sight of his two best friends.

Harry backed away from the bed. "I'm so sorry this has happened to you, Bill."

Bill looked at him, _hard._ "Don't you ever be sorry. I did this for the war, and I did this because I believed in the fight. This is not your fault Harry, and neither is Dumbledore's death." He looked down at the sleeping beauty on his chest. "And if she'll still have me, I expect to see you at my wedding come next month. Got it?"

Harry managed a smile. "Got it."

Harry, Hermione and Ron left Bill to talk with his friends, and after a hug from a tears Molly, and a shaken Arthur, they were on their way to the Room of Requirment. After walking past the portrait three times a door opened into a perfect replica of the Gryffindor common room, except the red was replaced with a deep, royal purple. Harry sat down on an armchair, and Ron and Hermione sat on their own respective seats. The roaring fire stood at the sentry of the back wall, and all three chairs looked into it. Harry fished into his pocket and withdrew a golden locket and placed it on an oak table in front of them.

"Dumbledore and I were hunting for Horcruxes," Harry explained to the confused looks of Ron and Hermione. "Fucking Horcruxes," Harry chuckled darkly. "Disgusting, vile, evil things that a dark wizard creates to achieve immortality."

"That's impossible," Ron said. "Isn't it? I mean without a Philosopher's Stone the oldest a wizard can live to is 220."

Hermione nodded. "I'm with Ron on this one, but I get the feeling your going to tell us different."

Harry looked up at them. "Through an act of pure evil, something despicable, like murder or rape, combined with the correct spell and the caster physically tears his soul apart."

The two gasped in horror.

"The user then puts their soul, or rather the shredded half of it, into an object, and typically hides the object away so no-one can destroy it." Harry shuddered. "That's how he survived on Halloween. That's why he's here now.

"Do you know what it is?" Hermione asked.

"What _it_ is?" Harry asked back. "Or what _they_ are?"

Hermione's hand flew to her mouth. "He didn't!" She squeaked.

Harry nodded and Ron gulped. "How many times?"

"We think six, and we have no idea what three are." Harry stated.

"What are the first three?" Ron asked. "The ones you _do_ know."

Harry reached into his bag and pulled out the destroyed diary of Tom Riddle and planted it on the table next to the locket? He then pulled out a cracked and broken ring, and lay it beside the diary.

"Have those two been destroyed?" Hermione asked. "I mean besides the diary."

Harry pushed the ring and diary towards Hermione. "The ring has," Harry stated. "But we just got this last night." Harry picked up the locket and inspected it, before looking up at the two of them. "I'm going to open it, OK?"

"Harry are you thick, you silly twat?" Ron hissed. "That has a peice of Voldemort's fucking _soul_ inside it."

Harry looked at Ron a slight smile on his face, and propped it open. He flinched back slightly and saw Ron and Hermione do the same, but to his shock, a moulding, old peice of paper dropped out without fanfare.

Harry frowned, and picked it up. Ron and Hermione shuffled closer.

 _To the Dark Lord,_

 _I know I shall be dead long before you read this, but I want you to know it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more._

 _R.A.B_

Harry didn't recognise the elegant and fine handwriting but he knew that this wasn't the real Horcrux. He roared in anger and grabbed the table, throwing it into the fire. Hermione silently summoned the ring and diary out of the fire as Harry threw a chair the length of the room.

"It was for _nothing?!"_ He raged. "Dumbledore died for absolutely fucking _nothing!?_ "

Harry punched the wall so hard he felt his hand break and he slid to the floor crying for his dead mentor, his broken hand lying forgotten at his side. Ron and Hermione rushed to him and sat beside him, comforting him.

"It was for nothing," he whispered, tears rolling down his face. Hermione hugged him tightly as Ron healed his hand.

"We'll find it together." Hermione breathed into his ear, and then repeated louder for Rom to hear. "We'll find it together. And the rest of them. How did you destroy that ring Harry?"

Harry sniffled and shrugged. "Dumbledore did it. Never told me how. That's what caused his bloody skin disease though. That ring."

Ron sat down cross legged in front of him and handed him the note and locket which had fallen to the ground. "We can do this, Harry. We will do this."

"This war can't end _unless_ we do this."

* * *

Harry slept the journey of the Hogwarts Express and awoke at Kings Cross station to Hermione's gentle voice.

"We're almost there, Harry." She said lightly and when Harry opened his eyes, he almost started crying again. The sad, sad look on her beautiful face broke his heart.

"Hermione," he said, reaching out and stroking her face with his hand. "What's happened?"

She leant into his hand and sighed. "Ron and I were talking while you were asleep, and we agreed the best course of action would be to alter my parents memories and hide them under a _Fidelius_ charm in another country."

"Oh 'Mione," Harry stood up and pulled her into a hug as she started to cry. "If we do do this, and you do want to come I will help you in whichever way I can. I think the country move and _Fidelius_ would be enough without the memory charm if we can get them to agree to it."

"I can't be a secret keeper, Harry," Hermione said frantically, looking panicked. "What if we're captured and they torture me. I don't want to give them up!"

Harry held both her hands in his. "Listen to me 'Mione. If they capture you they don't need to know where your parents are." Hermione opened her mouth to argue. "Now I stil wouldn't ask you to be their secret keeper. The smart choice is one of your parents are. Then only they know their address, and we can't give them up." Harry looked into her panicked eyes and started to breathe deeper and slower in an attempt to calm Hermione down. It worked.

"We're just kids Harry," Hermione sobbed. "We should be revising for our exams, not preparing to fight a war."

"I know," Harry whispered. "I know." He looked around the compartment. "Where did Ron go?"

"He went to sit with his brothers while you were asleep. He said he'll be along when the train is pulling up." Hermione hiccuped.

Knowing what was worrying her, Harry sat down, and pulled her into his lap so she was straddling his knees, and rested his forehead against hers. "I'll do it with you Hermione. You don't have to do it alone."

"Thank you," Hermione breathed, truly greatful.

They stood as the train slowed to a halt, and grabbed their bags from overhead. They met up with Ron and stepped off onto the platform.

"I'll see you at the wedding," Ron said to the pair of them, and the three exchanged goodbyes and hugs, before he was hurried away by the Weasley's.

"Harry wait!" Ginny ran and caught up with him. "You said you wanted to talk to me, and I know what it is, but I need to hear you say it." She had tears in her eyes.

Harry gave her a tight hug. "I'm sorry Gin, but we can't be together. It's not because I don't like you, but because I do. You'll always be my sister Gin. Please remember that."

Ginny burst into tears into his chest and nodded. "I love you, Harry."

Harry hugged her back. "And I love you, Ginny. But as a sister."

Ginny nodded and stepped back. She looked into his emerald eyes, with teary chocolate orbs if her own, and smiled a sad smile. "Good luck, Harry Potter. Good luck with the Dursley's, and good luck with this war."

"You too." Harry smiled back before she ran off to join her family and was lost in the crowd. Hermione stood at the side awkwardly. Harry took her bag from her and carried it in one hand, with his in the other. They walked for about a minute until Hermione spotted her parents.

The pairs made their way toward each other, and Harry placed the bags on the floor to shake their hands. It was only now the school year was over, he could see just how tall he had grown. He was about an inch taller than Hermione's dad which scared him. He was used to being the short-arse in the room.

"Mum, Dad, this is Harry," Hermione introduced them, a genuine smile on her face for the first time in far too long. It was beautiful.

The woman was slightly taller than Hermione and looked quite different to her daughter, though he could see the resemblance. "Hello Harry," she smiled. "I'm Hermione's mum, though I insist you call me Emma. We've heard so much about you." She broke the tension by wrapping him in a hug, much like her daughters. _So that's where 'Mione's freakishly good hugs come from._ Harry thought.

The man smiled a kind smile that caused his eyes to crinkle. He appeared to be in his mid-forties and Harry instantly knew who Hermione took after looks wise. He had bushy brown hair on his head, looking almost as untameable as Harry's own. He had the palest blue eyes and Harry instantly liked him. He reached out and gave Harry a friendly handshake. "Hiya Harry, I'm Dan. Good to meet you."

"And you too," Harry smiled. "I'm afraid I have some terrible news."

Dan and Emma's faces took on a look of worry and they looked to their daughter who looked ready to break into tears again.

"There's a war in our world Mum." Hermione burst out. "Like World War II but the Wizarding equivalent. More of a civil war actually. But we need to get you to safety."

"Why? What have we got to do with this?" Dan Granger was not a stupid man, but without all the details, he sounded confused, and annoyed that he was confused. Another trait Hermione had picked up from her parents.

"Because she's my friend." Harry piped in, causing all heads to turn to him. "I've tried to tell her to run with you but she won't listen. I've dragged her into this and I'm so sorry for that." Harry felt tears welling up again. "Enough people have died for me, and I don't want anymore added to that list, let alone your daughter."

Hermione threw herself into a hug at Harry and fiercely told him: "You don't have a choice. I'm not leaving you."

"Why are you a target? Why would being your friend make her a target?" Emma asked.

"Because the leader of their side failed to kill me and now has a personal vendetta against me." Harry realised that they didn't realise how dangerous he was. "You've heard of all the terror attacks across Britain, yes?" At their nods he continued. "That's him. That's Voldemort. He is the one who is attacking Britain, and we need to defeat him. Which is why for your safety, we would like to suggest moving to another country under a charm to keep you undetected for the duration of this war."

Dan let out a low whistle. "That's a big ask son. When could we come back?"

"When the war ends. Whether that's in a couple of months or a couple of years, I'm sorry, I really don't know." Harry shook his head.

"I don't want Hermione to be part of this." Emma said abruptly. "I don't want _either_ of youto be part of this. You are both so nice and mature, but you are still only teenagers. This is a _war._ "

"I agree with you, Emma." Harry said. "I want Hermione as far away from this war as possible."

"What about you?" Dan asked.

"I have to do this." Harry said with a voice of steel. "For my parents. For my Godfather, For Dumbledore, and for everyone who has died in my name."

"Please Harry," Dan pleaded with him. "Don't fight in this war. Your parents and friends wouldn't want that. They wouldn't want you to die for them. Please don't go."

Harry smiled a sad smile. "Sir, you are a good man. You are a very good man, and so are you ma'am," Harry said turning to Emma who had tears in her eyes at the thought of someone so young losing so many people. "But I have to do this. You can't change my mind, but if you can't go then I beg of you to change Hermione's."

Hermione's head snapped towards him. "Ex-fucking-scuse me?" She said angrily.

Emma looked at her disapproving of her language.

"I have stood by you for six damn years an you expect me to leave you because of a bloody war? I don't fucking think so."

"Language," Emma reprimanded, though Dan grinned.

"My minds made up," He said. "How quickly can we rent out the house?"

"Don't bother," Harry said quickly. "I'll get you whatever you need and I don't give a damn how much it costs, I'm doing it. I've asked enough, at least let me help."

"Are you sure?" Said Emma. "A house in another country isn't exactly going to be cheap."

"I said I would do it." Harry repeated.

"I don't think we could stop Hermione no matter how hard we tried." Dan smiled sadly. Emma nodded in agreement.

"You're damn right." Hermione said but there was no malice or anger in her voice. Harry realised she was clutching his arm protectively, like she didn't want to be dragged away from him. Her anger subsided and her tears returned. "We wouldn't be able to visit." Hermione choked. "We wouldn't even be able to write."

Dan nodded sadly.

"We'll be gone by the end of this month." Emma said. "I worked it out. Mathematically, that's the earliest it could be."

"That's perfect," Hermione and Harry said together.

"We would be going to our friends brothers wedding to pick him up around then. We aren't in this war by ourselves. We'll be staying out of the fighting, but we have a very important mission." Harry explained.

There was a brief moment of silence before Dan wrapped him in a hug. "I want you to know I'm proud of you both. Of both of you. I wish I'd been as brave as you when I was younger."

"You asked me out, didn't you?" Emma mumbled with a smile.

"And I can't think of anyone better for my Hermione." Dan said ignoring his wife. "I'm so glad to have met you." He stepped back and moved on to his daughter as Emma started hugging him.

"You were her first friend you know." Emma whispered so as to be unheard. "And your her best. You should hear the things she says about you, Jesus, it's a wonder I don't know your life story." She frowned. "Actually I probably do." She shook her head slightly. "Anyway, I agree with Dan. You are a remarkable young man, and I can't think of a better friend for my daughter. Goodbye for now, Harry. I hope to see you again when this war finishes." She pulled away and flicked Dan on the war.

"Get Hermione's bag and let them say goodbye you silly man." She huffed before giving Harry a final smile, and walking off ahead of her husband.

"Sorry," Dan mouthed, causing Harry to smile, before Dan became audible with a hearty "Goodbye!" and he hobbled after his wife.

"And why did they agree so easily, Hermione?" Harry asked with an arched eyebrow.

Hermione sniffled and smiled sheepishly. "The _Confundus_ charm does wonders. Don't worry, everything they said was genuine, and they would have agreed anyway." She shrugged. "It was just a shortcut."

"I love your parents," Harry decided, looking at them waiting by the portal.

Hermione smiled and looked at them as well. "Me too." She turned and gave Harry one final hug. "Goodbye Harry. I'll see you at Ron's"

Harry smiled. "Goodbye, 'Mione." And with that, she was gone.

* * *

The car ride back to the Dursley's was long boring, and strangely enough, peaceful. The highlight of the journey was a single stop at a Somerfield, but then Vernon, Dudley and Petunia spoke like a normal family and even included Harry in the conversation, without sarcasm or telling him off. They even asked how his school was. He was confused until he saw the look in Vernon's eyes. Guilt. He looked over at his cousin and saw the same look, but when he looked at Petunia?

Nothing.

He got in the house and helped to move the luggage from the car, chatting idly with Vernon and Dudley whilst Petunia unpacked the shopping. He went upstairs to his room and looked out across the sunset sky. A quick glance at Dudley's old digital clock confirmed it to be _21:34_ but the bright sky was still beautiful.

He flicked on an old radio the Dursley's had picked up for him at a charity whilst he had been in school, and hummed along to the opening riff of Creedence Clearwater Revival. God he loved '60's music. He didn't know why, but he did.

 _I see, the bad moon arising,_

Harry pondered over his upcoming task, and the arduous journey it would entail. He wondered how he would identify, let alone destroy a Horcrux. And what if he destroyed a Horcrux that turns out wasn't Voldemort's? Then it doesn't work, and his immortality stays.

 _I see, trouble on the way,_

His thoughts turned to his friends. He was skipping out on his final year of school for this. He would be taking a journey which could quite possibly take them all over the world with his two best friends. But what of his friends who were staying behind? What of Neville? Ginny? Seamus? Dean? Luna?

 _I see, earthquakes 'nd lightnin'_

 _I see, bad times today,_

He thought about Hermione's parents. What would happen to them? After he had set up the _Fidelius_ ward. What if he wasn't powerful enough and failed? What about the Weasley's? What if the burrow was attacked and they couldn't do anything to stop it. What was happening with the Order of the Pheonix now Dumbledore was dead. He knew they sure as hell weren't going to back down.

 _Don't go 'round tonight,_

 _Well it's bound to take your life,_

He thought about Ron, and what he would do without him, and He thought about how beautiful Hermione had been today. He wished he could take her pain away. He wished he could take everybody's pain away.

 _There's a bad moon on the rise._

* * *

The next few weeks at the Dursley's passed without incident, and it was weird. For the final few weeks he was living there, out of all the years of his life, they were being kind to him. He had received a letter from Hermione on the twenty-ninth saying her parents had left and she had put up the wards herself, so Harry didn't need to worry about doing it. She didn't know whereabouts they were, but she knew it was somewhere in mainland Europe close to Germany. She wished him an early birthday, and told him he would get his present and a surprise on his actual birthday for once.

The Dursley's had listened when he told them they needed to leave. He told them it wouldn't be permanent, and he would contact them when they could return, but for now, they needed to go, if not for their own sake. They left early on the thirty-first, with Vernon giving him a silver watch a with a black leather strap that had been passed down from his grandfather for his birthday. Dudley gave him, surprisingly, a gun. It didn't have any bullets in, and it was rusted out, but he had given it with the message to use it to "save as many lives as possible." He doubted he would use it. Only Petunia had kept up the tradition of not giving him a gift. He didn't care.

He watched television all day waiting for the Order to come and pick him up. The wards fell at half-five the next morning, so he needed to be gone by then. He let out a yawn as one'o'clock in the morning rolled around, but was jolted awake by a knock at the door. Time to go.


	3. Chapter 2 - Another One Bites the Dust

Harry danced his way over to the door, the radio playing at full blast, and turned it off with a flick of his hand. He was quite proud of that trick. During the time when he had been alive, Dumbledore had theorised that due to him having essentially impossible blood, what with undiluted basilisk venom _and_ pheonix tears both heavily involved in his circulatory system after second year, that wandless magic _may_ be possible. While he was still having problems with anything over a third year charm, wandless magic was wandless magic.

Harry opened the door slightly, checking who it was and upon seeing the glaring eye of Moody, he threw the door open and jammed his wand underneath his chin.

"In which room were you locked in your trunk during your stay at Hogwarts?" Harry asked imperiously, noting the company behind him absently.

Moody laughed. "Constant Vigilance, eh Potter?" He turned to the others. "We all need to be like this," He turned back. "The office of Defence against the Dark Arts."

Harry relaxed and lowered his wand. "Get everybody inside. People will start asking questions."

"It's half one in the morning." Tonks frowned.

"Yes, and your on the most gossip-prone street in Surrey." Harry said. " _Somebody_ will notice. Plus it's cold. In."

Everybody huddled together into the living room where Harry could greet them. He excused himself and ran upstairs quickly. He picked up Hedwig's cage, his Firebolt, and his rucksack, gave his unnaturally tidy bedroom one last sweeping look, and then made his way back downstairs to the hall, where he deposited the cage, broomstick, and bag near the foot of the stairs. He sat down on the bottom step, and began to think about all the times he had spent here. Long ago, when he had been left alone while the Dursleys went out to enjoy themselves, the hours of solitude had been a rare treat. Pausing only to sneak something tasty from the fridge, he had rushed upstairs to play on Dudley's computer, or put on the television and flicked through the channels to his heart's content. It gave him an odd, empty feeling remembering those times; it was like remembering a younger brother whom he had lost.

"Now I take it there's been a change of plan," Harry said. "Considering we were supposed to Side Along-Apparate."

"Yes," growled Mad-Eye, who was holding two enormous bulging sacks, and whose magical eye was spinning around rapidly. "Since the wards don't fall till five, and there are hundreds of Death-Eaters on the ground outside the wards at this very moment, that's impossible. So, we came up with a different plan."

"Now, you'll notice Moody said on the _ground._ However we plan on leaving by the sky." Remus said. "They don't think that your leaving until the moment it turns five. Due to some illegitimate 'leaks', Voldemort and the Death Eaters believe we are apparating in at five, and portkeying out within two minutes."

"Now it turns out they were already expecting this," Moody continued. "So we are leaving by broom, right now. However there's a twist. We're going to be using Polyjuice to have seven Harry Potter's on brooms tonight. That way if the Death Eaters do somehow know about the plan they won't know which Potter is which. Mundungus thought about that little peice of trickery on the flight over, so there is no way it could have been leaked, whether by accident or not."

"So me, and six others in Polyjuice, with, I'm assuming, one 'Protector' each." Harry asked for confirmation.

Moody gave a sharp nod. "If you have a better idea, I'd love to hear it."

"Ok," Harry said. "What if I take some Polyjuice to be one of you? The Order, I mean."

There was a silence in the room as people thought it over. "It's a good idea boy," Moody agreed. "But we don't have enough Polyjuice."

"We don't need it." Tonks said. Everyone turned to her. "We don't. If Harry takes my Polyjuice to look like Remus, and then I shift into Harry," she enunciated this point by shifting into a carbon copy of Harry. "Then Remus could go with me, and Harry could go with George."

There was a murmur of agreement, before conversation turned to a grinning Fred. Or perhaps George. Harry couldn't tell. "Are you sure you don't just want to be with your husband?"

"Wait," Harry interrupted. "You two are married? Congratulations!"

Tonks-Harry blushed massively, as did Remus. "Sorry we couldn't invite you. You know how it is."

Tonks decided to punish George, or perhaps Fred, for making the room so awkward by firing a light-powered stinging hex into his arm, causing him to help in pain. A chuckle went around the room. Tonks then decided to embarrass Harry by starting to strip and digging into the first bag to get some clothes and glasses. Harry was just thankful that she hadn't seen his body for what it actually was, and couldn't transform as so. That could cause problems.

His heart stopped as he realised that Polyjuice was much more accurate.

He cursed as he realised there was no other option but to let it play out. He realised he had been blanking out when Mundungus started to wave in his face.

"Fink he's dead to the world." The scruffy man said, before Harry slapped his hand away.

"Let's get this over with. We're running out of time." Harry said, his voice slightly lower, before he plucked a couple of his hairs and gave each 'Harry' a single hair. Moody pulled out seven flasks of Polyjuice potion, and gave them to Harry and all the fake Harry's.

The six fake Harry's dropped their hairs into the Polyjuice, which bubbled a bright, bubbly gold.

"Ooh Harry." Hermione said. "You look _much_ tastier than Crabbe and Goyle. And I'll bet you taste much better than Millicent's cat." She shivered slightly in disgust at the memory.

"I second that." Ron agreed. "Oh well. Down the hatch then."

Ron, Hermione, Fleur, Fred, George and Mundungus all downed their potions, and all grimaced at the taste. While better than the two second year Slytherins, it was still not pleasant. It took about 30 seconds until the transformation was complete.

"Wow, we're identical!" Fred and George said after turning and looking at each other.

"Bah," Fleur said the only 'male' with a French accent, checking herself in the mirror in the hall. "Bill, don't look at me - I'm 'ideous."

"Excuse me?" Harry said, with a raised eyebrow.

"I meen no disrespect 'Arry," Fleur quickly back-pedalled. "I zink you are very 'andsome. I merely prefer being a woman."

But Harry, the original that is, was howling with laughter. "Your face! I'm just kidding, Fleur."

Fleur let out a sigh of relief.

Harry realised this was probably the most bizarre and tense thing he had ever seen, and he had seen some extremely odd things. He watched as his six doppelgängers started stripping off before the inevitable happened.

"Harry?" The dangerous tone of voice told him it was Hermione. "What the hell are these?" She turned around, showing the rest of the order the various burn marks, light scars, and of course the massive shoulder to hip scars that crisis-crossed his back in the hundreds.

Remus's head snapped to Harry, who absently noticed that Remus still hadn't given him a hair. "Tell me they aren't from your relatives."

"What?" Harry said, genuinely confused. All faces had turned to look at him, a couple Harry's with tears in their eyes, including the furious, Hermi-Harry, and what Harry assumed was Fleur-Harry. "Of course they aren't. The Dursley's are horrible sadistic twats but even they wouldn't do that."

"Go on then." an angry sounding Harry said. Harry couldn't tell if the man using his own voice was one of the twins or Ron. He later realised it was neither, and was in fact Mundungus Fletcher.

The real Harry walked up to Remus and yanked a hair from his beard causing him to howl slightly. Moody smirked. "Voldemort, fourth year, in the graveyard. He gave his Death Eaters free reign as long as there was nothing fatal. Then he exacted his own special revenge." Harry let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding.

There was a pause, which Harry took to make his own potion and went underneath a transformation of his own. "Woah," Harry said in Remus's voice. "That felt stranger than last time."

"At least I can accurately copy you now," A Harry who he assumed was Tonks let out quietly causing a low, uncertain laugh to go around the room. The air was still frosty.

A Harry came up to him and from the hug Harry instantly knew it was Hermione. "You're ok now," she whispered, and Harry almost responded before he realised she was talking to herself. That started a pile on wherein everybody besides Bill, Moody, Arthur, Kingsley and one Harry, (Most likely Mundungus,) was involved. Harry was almost crushed under Hagrid's weight.

Hermione transformed into her usual self after she had lifted a top over his athletic body. "Harry, your eyesight really is awful..." She trailed off as she put on some glasses and saw the five topless Harry's. She blushed, before turning to the trousers.

One Harry pushed the waistband of his trousers out. "Wow Harry, you've got a massive-" One of who he assumed was the twins started to shout before another Harry covered his mouth, causing another ripple of laughter, and for Hermione to blush even more, quickly joined by Harry.

Once dressed, the fake Harry's took rucksacks and owl cages, each containing a stuffed snowy owl, from the second sack.

"Now since we only thought of having multiple Harry's on the way over, these are only conjured and not permanent. As are the clothes." Moody stated, and a circle of 'eps' went around the room. "They should last until you get to the safe houses where you can get changed back. Put your real clothes in your rucksack.

"Good," said Moody, as at last seven dressed, bespectacled, and luggage-laden Harry's faced him. "The pairs will be as follows: Dung with me on a broom-"

"Why'm I with you?" Grunted the Harry nearest the front door.

"Because you're the one that needs watching," growled Moody, and sure enough his magical eye did not waver from Mundungus as he continued. "Arthur and Fred, by broom, George and Harry, by Harry's motorbike,-"

"My what?" Harry asked.

"What?" Moody's magical eye whirled towards him and his body soon followed. "Your motorbike. The one Sirius left you."

"I never got told that."

"Well now you know. We can have an in depth look at what else you missed when we're regrouped at the Burrow." Mad-eye said, before turning around and continuing. "Miss Dealcour with Bill by thestral, and Miss Granger with Kingsley again by thestral, Remus and Tonks by broom, and-"

"An' you're with me, Ron." That all righ'?" said Hagrid, looking a little anxious. "We'll be on the charmed broom, designed specifica'y to take me weight."

"That's great," said Ron brightly.

"We think the Death Eaters will expect you to be on a broom," said Moody, this time to Harry. "Snape's had plenty of time to tell them everything about you he's never mentioned before, so if we do run into any of the Death Eater bastards, we're betting they'll choose one of the Potters who looks at home on a broomstick. All right then," he went on, leading the way to the front door. "I make it three hours until we're supposed to leave, shouldn't be a soul in sight. No point locking the front door though, it won't keep the Death Eaters out when they come looking -"

"I can do something," Harry muttered, and when everybody was safely out the house and he made sure nobody had forgotten anything, he cast his charm. The next entity that bore the magical signature of a dark mark that walked through those doors would be blown apart along with the rest of the house. The charm made sure it wouldn't affect the neighbouring houses, except for their prides and perhaps their gardens.

"Ok Harry," Arthur came up to him and started to walk towards his bike. "I've done a bit of tinkering, and it's got a few tricks up its sleeve now. Press that purple button if ever your in an emergency."

"Cheers, Mr Weasley."

Arthur smiled, and walked towards his son, Fred and they both leapt on a broomstick and scored into the sky. Everyone else soon followed, leaving only Harry and George.

"Yo, Hazza," George waved and hopped in the sidecar. "It's weird, you look exactly like Remus and I look exactly like you. You should have seen Tonks when you changed into Remus. All the fun she could have with two of her husband..."

Harry smirked at his antics. "Oh I'll bet," he gave George a wink and was returned with a light laugh. "Let's go."

Harry turned the handle and kicked the bike into gear, flipping a switch which caused it to start levitating off the ground. He was rising through the air fast, unsteady and unsure. He had never ridden a motorbike before and was relying on instinct. He was so immersed in getting to grips with the bike that he almost forgot to take a last glimpse of Privet Drive. By the time he looked over the handlebars he could no longer tell which one it was.

And then, out of nothing, they were surrounded. At least thirty hooded figures, suspended in midair, formed a vast circle in the middle of which Harry and George were.

"Fuck!" George shouted, and started firing stunners and blasting hexes. He wasn't quite prepared to use the _Avada Kedavra,_ and neither was Harry, but there were other ways to kill a man.

Harry gave a yell, and rolled the motorbike, firing stunners of his own. George desperately clung on to the cage holding the real Hedwig, and stamped his foot down to stop the Firebolt and rucksack from flying off into the night sky.

The motorbike zoomed forward; Harry glimpsed hooded Death Eaters scattering as he blasted through their circle. "HARRY HOLD ON!" Harry yelled to George, determined to keep up the facade. Luckily, George realised this and gripped the sidecar. Harry opened the throttle and was almost torn off the bike. Two jets of green light flew past his left ear. Four Death Eaters had broken away and were pursuing them, aiming for Harry's broad shoulders. Harry swerved, but the Death Eaters were keeping up with the bike; more curses shot after them, and George sunk low in the sidecar to avoid them, sneaking his own curses whenever he could.

"Let's see what this does..." Harry murmured and pushed down on a red button near the fuel gauge. He laughed out loud as the engine started spitting long streaks of 100 meter flame, which engulfed one Death Eater, sending his screaming, burning form tumbling off his broom and into the city below them. They were already over London. Harry hadn't even noticed. Wasting no time, Harry hit the next button, a green one this time and a solid brick wall erupted from the exhaust pipe. Craning his neck, Harry saw it expand in midair. Two of the remaining three Death Eaters swerved and avoided it, but the third wasn't so lucky. He vanished from view and then dropped like a boulder from behind it, his broomstick broken into peices. No-one stopped to save him, and Harry sped up again.

More killing curses flew past George and Harry's heads from the two remaining Death Eaters wands, and they were aiming for Harry, or Rather Remus. George responded with further Stunning Spells: Red and green collided in midair in a shower of multicoloured sparks, and Harry thought wildly of fireworks, and the Muggles below who would have no idea what was happening.

With that thought in his mind, he slammed his fist onto the purple button by the right of the speedometer, and with an unmistakeable bellowing roar, dragon fire burst from the exhaust, white hot and blue, and the motorbike shot forward like a bullet with the sound of wrenching metal. Harry saw the Death Eaters swerve out of sight to avoid the deadly trail of flame.

"George!" He called, now confident they were alone, but the sidecar swayed ominously: It's metal connections to the bike splintered withe the force of acceleration. "It's all right George!" He bellowed. "I'm on it!" He lifted his wand to repair it as George yelled, and a flash of green caused the sidecar to break off completely. The sidecar began to lose height, and Harry's heart stopped in panic. He heard George shout a desperate _Wingardium Leviosa,_ and the sidecar rose like a cork, unsteerable but still airborne. George only had a split seconds relief however, as more curses streaked past him from the Death Eaters who had caught up.

"Fucking worthless shite," Harry bitched gently, before whipping around " _Impedimenta!"_

The jinx hit the Death Eater in the chest, and for a moment he was strangely spread-eagled in midair. Harry grabbed George and hauled him on. George managed to grab the rucksack before the sidecar fell out of view. He turned back as he heard the Death Eater blow up his side car, and the explosion knocked him off his broom.

"Fucking Hell," George roared over the rush of wind. "We can make it!"

"Yeah, we can!" Harry yelled back as two more Death Eaters emerged from the darkness, coming closer.

As the curses came shooting across the intervening space again, Harry swerved the more agile bike. He dared not use the dragon-fire button again, with George seated so insecurely. George to his credit, was a simply fantastic duellist, even in midair. He fired Stunning Spell after Stunning Spell back at their pursuers, barely holding them off. Harry felt the bike jolt forward with a resounding _gong!_ as George threw up a shield to protect from an incoming _Reducto._

"Come on George!" Harry yelled.

"Yeah Harry!" George shouted back, firing yet more curses but to their horror they heard the Death Eaters shouting to each other:

"It's him! Lupin's the real Potter! He's the real one!" The shouts faded as the pursuers fell back and dissapeared.

"Fuck, we gave ourselves away," Harry shouted over the thunder of the engine.

"Do the dragon-fire thing again Harry - get us out of here."

"Hold on tight then, George!" Harry shouted, thumbing the purple button again. There was a deafening, screeching roar again and the blue-white fire shot from the exhaust. Harry felt George slipping off the back and reached around with one hand, grabbing onto the front of his T-Shirt. "We're nearly there, George, we've nearly made it!" He shouted.

Then the scar on his forehead burned like the dragon-fre that had just come out of the exhaust. A Death Eater appeared on either side of the bike, two Killing Curses missed him by millimetres. He felt the heat sizzle by his left forearm. Then Harry saw him. Voldemort, floating on a thin sheen of dark cloud, with no broomstick, thestral or enchanted motorbike to hold him. His snake-like face gleamed out of the blackness, white fingers raising his wand to strike.

Harry clenched his teeth together in fear and sent the bike into a vertical dive without warning. George clinging on for dear life, Harry sent Stunning Spells flying at random into the whirling night. He saw a body fly past him and knew either he or George had hit one of them, but then he heard a bang and sparks from the engine, the motorbike spiralled through the air out of control.

Harry glimpsed a hood less Snape and bellowed in rage, but Snape bellowed out something far worse.

" _Sectumsempra!"_

The dark cutting spell flew right by Harry to his relief, but with Georges roar of pain, his fear came straight back. His scar burst into unimaginable pain and he felt his wand act by itself. He let it. It dragged his hand around like some strange magnet and through the crack of his half closed eyes, saw golden fire spurt from the tip. He heard a crack and a scream of fury. He gripped onto an unconscious George with one hand, and slammed the purple button with the other.

The broken bike sped up, hurtling towards the ground, now with the boost of dragon flame assisting it's fall. He threw himself from the bike metres before it smashed into the pond, clinging onto George with both hands. He felt the twin being torn from his grasp.

"No," he screamed. " _NO!"_ and with an ear splitting, ground trembling crash, he and the bike smashed into the muddy pond.

* * *

"George?"

Harry struggled to raise himself out of the debris of metal and leather that surrounded him. Unbelievably, he saw the mangled bike half submerged in the pond but in one peice. He wondered if he could fix it.

"George?" He croaked again, moving through the muddy water. He found him floating unconscious in a pool of bloody water. Harry quickly scooped him up and carried him bridal style to the house in which the back garden they had crashed into was joined.

A female voice was shouting and scooped George out of Harry's resisting arms. He fell into unconsciousness himself, and the next thing he knew, he was on a sofa in a living-room, with George no-where in sight.

"Where's George?" Harry said, swinging himself up onto his feet.

"Woah there, son." A chubby man with fair hair exclaimed. "You've just had a nasty crash there. You need to rest. I'm Ted Tonks, Dora's father. We portkeyed George to the Burrow and Molly will be taking care of him now. We couldn't send you because we couldn't tell if you were dead or not."

Harry calmed slightly, panic and adrenaline still running through him. So when Bellatrix's carbon copy walked into the room, he had a wand to her throat in a heartbeat. It took him a moment to realise it was Andromeda, and he relaxed.

"What happened Remus? Did the bike go wrong up there? Arthur's always messing around with muggle things..."

"Remus?" Harry asked still disoriented.

The two faces darkened, and a wand was instantly in his face. "Who are you?"

"Harry Potter," he said, and as if on cue, he felt the Polyjuice starting to wear off. Then with the Polyjuice transformation he regained a sense of clarity and looked around the room spotting his rucksack in the corner of the room. It was then he realised Hedgwig must have died in the exploding sidecar, and Harry felt his gut-wrench as he remembered his oldest friend die. He had been so caught up in the moment he hadn't even realised. And his Firebolt also. His last connection to Sirius gone, gone ,gone...

Then he remembered the marauders map, and the wrecked bike lying outside, and vowed to fix the machine if only for Sirius. "Where's my wand?" He managed to get out to the two now relaxed though slightly cautious adults. He briefly realised that George had changed back before him as he had taken his Polyjuice later.

Harry managed to relax enough to tell them what happened, but as he did so, more panic set in about the state of the others, and the Tonks's were just as concerned about the fate of their daughter.

"I'll send word," he had promised. "But I have to get to the Burrow." He had then grabbed the bike and the second portkey, and in a whisk of blue, he was gone.

* * *

Harry appeared alone in the back garden of the Burrow, lying down on the mangled wreck of a bike. _I'm just gonna,_ he hiccuped slightly, blood dribbling from his mouth. _I'm just gonna rest here, for a little bit._ Unconsciousness claimed him once more.

Everyone in the Burrow was at panic stations. With Georges arrival, and everyone else subsequent return, the only missing members were Mad-eye, Mundungus, and the whole point of the trip in the first place, the _real_ Harry. Hermione was in a state, crying over the loss of Mad-eye, and with each passing minute, the increasing likelihood that Harry had joined him.

But then, almost fifteen minutes after he was supposed to arrive, there was a flash of blue and the shadow of Harry and the mangled motorbike he had left Privet Drive stood stark on the lit ground surrounding the Burrow. Hermione nurse out the door and ran to his unconscious form. She sobbed into his chest and desperately called for help, Remus and Arthur carrying him in, and placing him on the table they had just removed George from.

George had lost a lot of blood, and because of the dark magic used, he had lost his ear permanently. No one knew how and would know how until either George or Harry came around. They were in a state where no one was sure whether an _Ennervate_ would help or hinder. They would just have to wait an hour or so for the wake up.

Harry stirred half an hour later, with Ron and Hermione leaning over him. Hermione's puffy eyes and Ron's somber face caused Harry to start crying his own tears, and after sitting up, the three hugged. Ron left to inform the others about Harry's awakening, and Harry just lay his head on Hermione's chest, where her head rested on top of his. He heard the faint thrum of her heartbeat against his ear.

He went cold. His ear. George's ear. George's _lack_ of an ear. He couldn't be sure, in the darkness and with all that blood and with the speed of it all, but he could swear he had seen the hole here his ear used to reside. Hermione let go of him as the Order and the Weasley's came in, with Lupin grabbing Harry by the collar and pinning him against a wall, his wand at his throat.

"What creature sat in the corner the first time Harry Potter visited my office at Hogwarts?" he said, giving Harry a small shake. "Answer me!"

"A-a grindylow in a tank, wasn't it?"

Remus released Harry and fell back against a kitchen cupboard. "I'm sorry, Harry, but I had to check," said Remus, clearly tired. "We've been betrayed. Voldemort knew that you were being moved early and the only people who could have told him were directly involved in the plan. You might have been an imposter."

Harry looked over all the faces that peered at him and he asked the question he had been fearing to ask. "Where's George?"

Harry followed them through into the living room and he gasped at the sight. He had been mostly cleaned up and was still unconscious, but the hole in his head was daunting.

"What happened, Harry, dear?" Molly asked, wiping away her tears.

"Snape's work," Harry was still transfixed by the boy he had failed to protect.

" _Snape?"_ shouted Ron. "You didn't say-"

"He lost his hood during the chase. _Sectumsempra_ was a spell created by the bastard, so it makes sense he'd use it. I wish I could say I payed him back in kind, but it was all I could do to keep George on the bike after the sidecar separated and he was injured, he was losing so much blood." He paused and looked around. "Where's Mad-eye? Dung?"

At this Bill's face, or the half that could, contorted in rage. "Mundungus vanished at the first sight of trouble, selfish bastard. Dissaparated. I fucking knew he would run. Mad-eye tried to stop him, but Voldemort, who can bloody well _fly_ went straight for them, and his curse hit Mad-eye full in the face. He fell backwards off his broom and - there was nothing we could do. We had half a dozen of them on our own tail."

Bill's voice broke.

Harry swallowed. He felt as though something inside him was falling, falling through the earth, leaving him forever. There was a silence in which George recovered. The news didn't go down well with him, but the first words he had said to Harry were _"Thank you, so much."_

They had had a toast, to Mad-eye. They each drunk a shot of fire whiskey, and Harry could feel it burning his insides like lava. Another one, another mentor, another friend gone.

 _Another one bites the dust..._ Harry's brain thought mockingly as he and those around him drunk themselves to sleep in the early morning hours in the Burrow.

I'm hoping this is the longest chapter so far, (Out of three, not really an achievement, but still,) and I've borrowed quite heavily from the actual battle in The Deathly Hallows for this chapter. All credit to J.K Rowling for those parts. This was mostly a battle chapter, setting up the wedding in the next chapter. I hope you enjoyed, please leave a review if you did.


	4. Chapter 3 - Rocket Man

When Harry woke up, he was in a bed he didn't fall asleep in. He stirred slightly and sat up, scanning his eyes across the foreign room. It took him a moment to realise this was Ron's room, and he must have been carried there after he got drunk after his posthumous birthday party.

He groaned in pain and clutched his head as he felt his hangover kick in properly. He fumbled with the bedside cabinet, knocking his glasses and a lamp off the cabinet with his fumbling hands. He gripped the handle of a drawer and pulled it open, searching for a hangover-cure. Unsuccessful, he groaned again as he stood up and moved downstairs in only his boxers.

The early morning was still dark, with no hint of sunlight and he flicked on the kitchen light as he walked in, illuminating the dark kitchen. He stumbled over to the sink and picked up a glass. Quickly filling it with water, he downed it and put the glass back down. He then opened the cupboards above him and grabbed a small vial of an anti-hangover potion, and drunk the deep red liquid with less gusto then the water he had just drunk.

"Hey Harry," Hermione said, walking through the doorway with a hand in her messy hair. Even in this bedraggled state, Harry still marvelled at how pretty she was. "Did you leave any for anybody else?"

"Hey 'Mione," Harry grumbled. "Lookin' beautiful there,"

"Oh, haha," Hermione drawled, mistaking his grumbly tone for sarcasm. She pressed up against his bare chest as she reached up for a potion of her own, and Harry smelled a brief whiff of apples before she found what she needed and pulled back, leaning against the bench besides him. She quickly downed her own potion and let out a moan of pleasure. Shivering, she said: "Oh, that's much better."

"Bill and Fleur's wedding tomorrow." Harry commented, but his brow furrowed slightly. "Today? What time is it?"

Hermione giggled slightly, and leaning her head on Harry's shoulder, she wordlessly cast a _Tempus_ showing it was 4:56 in the morning. "Did you forget you're a wizard?"

Harry absentmindedly flicked her in the ear for her cheek. "What do you think of the Minister's visit?"

She snorted. "Not much, if I'm honest. He seems like a bit of a twat."

Harry laughed at the unusual comment from the girl who rarely swore. "Ok, I'll reword that. What do you think of Dumbledore's will?"

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know. I'm honoured I was in it, and I still find it difficult to believe. I wonder what the book is for, but I haven't got around to reading it yet."

"What?" Harry jerked back, mock-shocked. "You haven't finished it yet?"

Hermione slapped his arm and cuddled into him further. "Prat. I've been drinking with you all day and night, and we've got the wedding later today, so I probably won't read it until tomorrow."

They stood there in silence for a bit until Harry heard a light snoring from his shoulder, and looked to see his beautiful friend asleep on it. He tugged the empty vial from her soft hands and placed it gently on the bench, before scooping her into his arms and carrying her upstairs to Ginny's bedroom. He gently pushed open the door, and lay her down on the bed, kissing her forehead before leaving the room and bumping into Fleur Dealcour.

"Fuck me, Fleur," Harry whispered, and clutched his chest in fright. "How bloody quiet are you?"

She smiled at him, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "Well, 'Arry, you did just come out of ze girl's room in only your boxers, so I zink I will have to pass on zat. Also ze fact I am getting married today, it wouldn't look very good." She laughed, before turning serious, with a hint of curiosity in her voice. "I de'ed not realise zat you and 'ermione were an item?"

"We're not," Harry said quickly. "Just friends."

Fleur gave him a knowing smile. "I'm sure. You are a good man, 'Arry Potter. Any woman would be lucky to 'ave you." She kissed him on the cheek, and pulled away slowly. "Good night, mon ami."

"Good night, Fleur," Harry said in return, before he turned and left for his room, leaving Fleur to do whatever she was doing on her wedding night. However her words weighed on his mind. He hadn't missed the sarcasm laced in her French accent, and wondered if everybody thought that he and Hermione were together. He had thought about it many times before, but after last year could clearly tell it was Ron she was interested in, not him. He had even tried setting the two up on numerous occasions, which had never worked out, but thankfully, they were none the wiser.

But did Hermione like him? He never claimed to be an expert on feelings, barely being able to understand his own, let alone anyone else's. He was sure he loved her, but wasn't able to tell if it was as a friend, or in a more _romantic_ way. He huffed slightly as he thought about it. Why did it have to be so confusing? He dropped down into his bed and fell asleep with his best friend in his mind.

* * *

Harry awoke for the second time that day, well rested and alert. He reached to grab his wand and glasses off the cabinet and grumbled to himself as he found them on the floor. He put his glasses on his face and cast a quick mouth-cleaning charm, before finding his suit in the battered wardrobe and quickly laying it out on his bed ready for later. It was Bill and Fleur's big day after all. He took a quick piss, before climbing into the shower, getting dressed into some jeans mans a loose fitting top. He grabbed his birthday watch and made his way downstairs for breakfast.

"Hey Mrs. Weasley," Harry said walking into the kitchen and picking up a peice of toast from the table. "Where's Mr. Weasley?"

"Hello, dear," Mrs. Weasley smiled. "Arthur's out back setting the interior for the tent with Fred and George."

"OK," Harry said, munching on his toast. "I'll go see if I can help."

He bade farewell to Mrs. Weasley and walked out to the back garden where the large white tent had been set up. He scoffed the last of his toast and brushed his hands together to rid them of crumbs, before entering the tent.

"Oh shit," Harry said, looking around in wonder. The tent had been magically expanded, and the dark wood floor had been glossed. There were multiple circular tables spread across the left side of the tent, whereas the entire right side of the room was clear, and had candles surrounding it. It took him a moment to realise it was for dancing. The ceiling was much like that of the great hall, completely invisible. Sunlight streamed through the open ceiling and illuminated the whole tent. On the side opposite the entrance was a white carpet which rolled outside the tent and onto the top of a hill, which overlooked the picturesque village of Ottery St Catchpole.

"You like it?" Mr. Weasley said, wiping his hands on a towel. "We've just finished setting it up."

"What is the point in wizards buying houses? Like seriously?" Harry asked, still looking around in awe.

Mr. Weasley looked rather baffled. "Well everybody has their ancestral homes which are a lot grander and more homely than a tent..."

"Is that not more expensive though?"

"Well ancestral homes were made long before magical tents were and tents pack themselves up after a week." Mr. Weasley scratched his head. "We need to get changed, the wedding is in four hours."

Harry looked at his watch and saw that it was, indeed 1 o'clock. He briefly wondered why Mrs. Weasley had toast on the table at one in the afternoon, but then went upstairs to put his clothes on. Just as he had finished with his tie, he heard Hermione calling for him from the other room.

"Go shut her up will you?" Ron joked, fixing his collar and shooing him out the room.

Harry knocked on Hermione's door and peeked his head around it. "Hey 'Mione," He said. "What's up?"

Blushing furiously, Hermione turned around to show that she couldn't get the dress over her shapley hips. This was in no way due to fat, as her bum was perfect with no sags or creases at all, (yes, he had been peeking,) and she was careful about her diet with dentists as parents, but simply her natural figure and tight fitting dress. She was wearing a lacy lavender bra which barely covered her boobs, and her dark blue dress barely covered matching panties. "Can you help?" She squeaked out.

"Of course," He said. "Don't be embarrassed, I'm your friend." He somehow managed to tear his eyes away from her goddess like body, and gripped the folded up bunches of the dress. He tugged and it shuffled over her hips and he realised just how uncomfortable his trousers suddenly were as he zipped up the dress.

She gave him a long kiss on the cheek in thanks, and walking out after telling her it had been no problem, he was sure she knew about his rather uncomfortable state and was some sort of temptress sent by the devil. Laughing at this thought, he tried desperately to think of other things and eventually, the problem went away.

* * *

"I now pronounce you, man and wife." A kindly old priest said with enthusiasm the next day and closed his bible.

Fleur and Bill embraced, and Fleur's lips pressed against the half of Bill's lips that were still there. Cheers and wolf-whistles filled the air. Ginny threw up some rice and Gabrielle threw up some petals falling on the two.

"Get in there Bill!" George stood up and yelled, and was rewarded by a slap to the face by a bouquet of flowers. The shock caused him to stumble slightly and fall, grabbing his twin and bringing him down with him. Harry, Ron and the exquisite looking Hermione all laughed at their clumsiness.

Harry ran his hands through his dark hair as food magically appeared on tables in front of them. They had originally contemplated a disguise for him at the wedding but Bill and Fleur had adamantly refused, saying he would be needed undisguised for the happiest day of their life. That, and also the pictures.

He shook his head and laughed slightly at Ron's magical eating skills, and the rather disgusted look it caused Hermione's face to bend into. He started to dig into his own food, cutting a peice of steak as Hermione started to talk about their impending mission.

"We obviously need to find the real locket first." Hermione said lowly, swallowing a peice of potato. "So to do that we need to find _R.A.B_. Do you have any ideas who that could be?"

"If we can get to a Pureblood library, we can find a book on lineage," Ron said. "They have everybody, and that's how we can find out who he is, or was. Depends I suppose. We could visit the Longbottoms, they would have it."

Harry shook his head and took a sip from a glass of firewhiskey. "No," He said. "They'll be being watched. We're going to have to get it some other way. Could we break in anywhere undetected?"

Now it was Ron's turn to shake his head. "No way. The warding would be stupidly tough, especially in war-time."

"What about Grimmauld Place?" Hermione asked. "Would they have a book, wouldn't the Year?"

Ron looked thoughtful for a moment. Or as thoughtful As he could when eating a mouthful of food. He swallowed before speaking. "They might do. Only trouble is we cleared that place out. I mean didn't we? In fifth year?"

"Yeah, but it's a lineage book," Harry pointed out. "Nothing dark. Why would we have thrown it out?"

"He's got a point." Hermione added. "Plus, even when we did throw them out, they just reappeared slowly. Probably Kreacher, but you can bet they're all back now."

"OK," said Ron. "So first stop Grimmauld Place?"

"Hang on," Harry interrupted. "Won't Snape have told the Death Eaters about it?"

"I think it has new wards now," Hermione said. "But they'd likely be on the street. We'd have to apparate directly on to the doorstep."

"Worth a try I suppose," Ron breathed. "Leave early tomorrow yeah?"

"Yes." Harry confirmed. "Hermione's got the bag and tent and everything set up in her bag, just ready to go in the morning. You just need to lead your ghoul downstairs and leave the note telling your family why theirs a fucking ghoul in you're room, and we're good. Get a good nights sleep tonight, cause we're up early, and we'll need it."

There was a brief pause before Ron said quietly, "How do you even destroy a bleeding Horcrux?"

"Well," said Hermione, who had moved on to a bowl of soup. "I've been researching that."

"How?"asked Harry. "I looked all over and there weren't any books on Horcruxes in the library."

"No, there weren't," said Hermione, who had turned pink. "Dumbledore removed them all, but he - he didn't destroy them."

Ron's head shot up from his plate, wid-eyed.

"How in the name of Merlins massive, saggy balls and cock have you managed to get your hands on those Horcrux books?"

Hermione wrinkled her nose at the description, before she looked rather guilty. "It - it wasn't stealing!" she said, looking at Ron and then at Harry with a kind of desperation. Harry's heart melted. "They were still library books, even if Dumbledore had taken them off the shelves. Anyway, if he _really_ didn't want anybody to get at them, I'm sure he would have made it much harder to-"

"Get to the point!" Ron said rather rudely, with a mouthful of potato.

"Well...it was easy," said Hermione in a small voice. "I just did a Summoning Charm. You know - _Accio._ And they just zoomed out of Dumbledore's study window right to the girl's dormitory."

"But when did you do this?" Harry asked, regarding Hermione with a mixture of admiration, incredulity, respect and although he would never admit it, love.

"Just after his - Dumbledore's - funeral," said Hermione in an even smaller voice. "Right after we agreed to leave school and go and hunt Horcruxes. When I went back upstairs to get my things it - it just occurred to me that the more we knew about them, the better it would be...and I was alone in there...so I tried...and it worked. They flew straight in through the open window and I - I packed them."

She swallowed and looked at them imploringly, "I can't believe Dumbledore would have been angry, it's not as though we're going to use the information to create a Horcrux, is it?"

"Can you hear us complaining?" Ron said gesturing to himself and Harry. "Where are these books anyway?"

"I packed them." Hermione said, looking down at her soup, absentmindedly swirling it with her spoon. "They're in the bag with everything else. But the way to destroy them is pretty much basilisk venom, and whatever Dumbledore used to destroy the ring."

The rest of the meal continued without talk of the impending mission and they enjoyed their last normal night. The food vanished and some music started from across the tent. Fleur and Bill led the first dance and couples started to join them. Harry was quickly whisked away by Luna Lovegood, and he shot a look of apology to a laughing Hermione, who started to begrudgingly dance with Ron, who was no more happy about it than she was.

Harry had just finished his dance with Luna when Hermione practically threw herself at him. He started to dance with her slowly with one hand on her waist, the other on her shoulder. Her own hands were against his chest, and they danced silently together. Fleur's words reverberated around his head again, and he knew that Hermione could feel his heart thumping in his chest as he could. It was now he realised how much he did love her. Her chocolate brown eyes looked up into his own and just standing there he could have kissed her. The moment was perfect. So of course it had to go wrong.

There was no warning. Nothing to alert anyone. The floor exploded into chunks of burning wood and the tent caught fire. He looked down at Hermione again and she nodded, and they split apart. Harry went for Ron, and Hermione for her bag. Death Eaters started apparating in, but not before there was a horrifically loud tearing noise and a bright blue flash that shone across the roof-less tent, signifying the falling of the wards.

Explosions and spellfire shot through the open space of the tent, and a blasting hex caught Harry in the side as he was running and sent him flying into the cloth wall of the tent which fell down and the momentum from the blast wrapped him up in the burning cloth. He coughed and writhed, throwing off his fiery blazer as he stood up, revealing a sleeveless one underneath, a deep burgundy in colour. He ran and slid beneath a fallen support, rolling and coming to his feet.

" _Stupefy!_ " Harry yelled, blasting a Death Eater full in the face and sending him across a table where a burning beam fell on him, crushing him. " _Reducto!"_ He screamed and this time a Death Eater's head exploded, and Harry kept going. He reached Ron, and by this time smoke had filled the air thicker, and it was difficult to see. Harry scooped up a crying Gabrielle and hoisted her over his shoulder, keeping her secure with one hand, firing spells with another.

Together, he and Ron were like a well oiled machine, ruthlessly taking out the seemingly endless armies of Death Eaters. There was a loud explosion from above them and a horrific, mournful calling sound as Ron's bedroom, and the ghoul in it fell to the ground and were engulfed by flames. Ron cried out in anger and shock, making to run towards it before Harry stopped him.

"We can't!" He shouted to him, hoping he could be heard over the carnage. "It's to much. We have to go. _Now."_

As if on cue, Hermione ran towards them and the three of them fought there way to the edge of the wards the Death Eaters had thrown up with Gabrielle still crying on Harry's shoulder. When they got to the outside of the tent, Harry dropped Gabrielle down with her father who nodded his thanks whilst her mother started blubbering her own.

"Harry!" Bill Weasley roared, throwing himself forward and knocking Harry out the way of a Killing Curse.

"Cheers mate," Harry said as they stood up, but now the two were surrounded. Cut off from the others they fought like hell and two minutes later, there were thirty dead Death Eaters around them. "The entertainment was not what I expected if I'm honest. _Bombarda!"_

Bill laughed, the inner workings of his face twisting, whilst his half that was still flesh crinkled into a handsome smile. "Glad I can entertain you, Harry." He ducked under a particularly viscous looking spell and responded with one of his own which blew a hole through the Death Eaters chest.

Harry banished a carrot from an upturned dinner plate through a Death Eaters mouth and out the other side, and then sliced another in half.

"Always eat your vegetables I guess?" Bill roared with laughter.

"Sounds like a quote from a movie." Harry laughed with him, never stopping his fight.

Bill took a leaf out of Harry's book and banished a knife through a different Death Eater's chest. "I think he got the point."

Harry yelled as he recognised the quote. "Bond, really? I love him!"

Bill laughed and whirled around, transfiguring a table into a large stone slab he then blasted towards the onslaught of Death Eaters. Harry fired a _Confringo_ to his left, and absentmindedly flicked his right hand causing a shield to form around the two wandlessly.

Bill whirled around impressed and started to say something before a massive explosion occurred between them and they were both sent flying away from each other. Harry got up just in time to see the harsh green light strike Bill.

He went cold inside and wordlessly held out his wand. In one swish, all their heads fell from their bodies and he rushed over to confirm what he already knew. He dragged the dead newlyweds away from the carnage and started to cough from the smoke. The tears that had welled up in his eyes however, were not because of the smoke. They were for the newly married man who had just been murdered simply because he was in the same place as Harry Potter. Harry got outside the tent and let out a sob, closing Bill's eyes. Another one gone. Another one down. Another one bites the dust.

He stood up tears still dripping down his soot stained face and he hoisted him above his shoulder much in the same way he had held Gabrielle, and carried him to his family. He gently lay the body to rest, and folded Bill's arms. It had happened so quick. How could it have been that quick? Harry looked at Bill's white shirt, almost the same colour as his inner-blazer in colour now the blood had reached it. He clenched his fist and roared in anger, running inside and firing off spell after spell before someone grabbed him, spun him around, kissed him, and the instant their lips met, there was a crack of disapparation, and they were gone.

* * *

 **Author's End Notes**

And this is where things start to change from canon. Hope you enjoyed reading this, and if you did please leave a review, I love reading them.


	5. Chapter 4 - Shadows Of The Night

With a resounding _Crack!_ of displaced air,Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter appeared in the centre of an alley. Ron was quick to stun and obliviated a homeless man present in the alleyway and turned to see the other two occupants pressed together in a fierce lip-lock. Hermione's hands were in Harry's hair and on his back, and his own hands were on her lower back.

Ron walked up and started circling them after about 10 seconds of blinking in shock. "And break," he swooped around to the other side of the kissing couple. "And _breathe!"_ When the two still didn't break he threw his arms up in a huff. "Come on guys is this really the time?" He pushed his arms in between them, and forced the two apart.

Harry stumbled back against a wall, and it took him a couple of seconds to register what had just happened. He opened his mouth to speak a couple of times before he managed to croak one single word out. "Bill,"

Ron turned to him. "What? What about Bill? What happened?"

Hermione was blushing a deep red and was glad the attention was away from her, even if it was only momentary.

"Dolohov," Harry seemed to have recovered enough to speak, though it took a couple more seconds for him to tear his eyes away from Hermione. "Him and four others. I think he got away, but I got the other four." Ron turned away, his jaw clenched. "There was nothing I could do, Ron! We were fighting together, and there was an explosion and we were forced apart. When I looked over he was on the ground surrounded, and by the time I got my wand it was too late!" Harry shouted desperately, drawing a curious glance from the end of the alley by a passerby.

"And how long has _this_ been going on?" Ron said angrily, waving his hand between Harry and Hermione who was still panting, having not fully recovered from the rigorous kissing she had just been party too.

"Just now Ron!" Hermione took a step towards him. "I swear, it was just the heat of the moment!"

Ron stood still and took a couple of deep breaths. "Sorry. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap."

Harry was beside him in an instant closely followed by Hermione. "It's fine. It's absolutely fine. Don't worry about it.

"I don't care if you two are together, so you know. I don't care if it was the heat of the moment or not," Ron murmured numbly, starting to cry at the loss of his brother. "I just don't like being left out. It happens with five older brothers." There was a quiet sob. "Four."

Hermione started to cry aswell, embracing Ron in one of her special hugs, and Harry wrapped his strong arms protectively around the both of them and kissed them both on the top of their heads. They stayed in that position for a while, just crying to each other, before Hermione sniffled and broke free.

"I've got some clothes to change into in here," Hermione said wiping her eyes free of mascara-stained tears and reaching into her bag to retrieve the clothes. "I don't suppose Harry and I need to change too badly, but you definitely do Ron. Those wizarding robes won't go unnoticed." She threw the jeans and T-shirt to the ginger before turning to Harry. "Where's your blazer? You'll get cold."

"Well I don't think my blazers cold, to be honest. It's on fire." Harry smirked.

Hermione threw him a jacket to wear and Harry quickly removed his thin inner blazer that offered no protection in favour of the thicker, leather coat. He wrapped it around himself, but stopped as he noticed Hermione stand up and put her bag away.

"Hermione?" He asked.

"Yes?"

"Where's your coat?" He said indicating her sleeveless, tight fitting dark blue dress. "You'll be colder than me, plus this shirts thicker than that dress." Ignoring her protests, he took the coat off and placed it around Hermione's shoulders, where she reluctantly slipped her arms into the sleeves with a small unnoticeable smile on her face.

Ron too had a similar smile as he watched the two knowing that even though they weren't together now, he would bet money it would happen soon. The three left the alley after Harry cast some warming charms so Ron didn't die whilst getting changed, and placed a charm on each of them. In the night it seemed like a sunny day temperature wise to Ron and Hermione, and a warm night to Harry. They seemed like complete strangers together. Ron was dressed in jeans, a t-shirt, a hoodie and trainers, whereas Harry looked like he had just come out of work, wearing a long sleeved shirt and black tie with matching trousers and shoes. Hermione was the only one who looked like she had come from a party, with the tight, figure hugging dress accentuating her curves and bust, with the unbuttoned jacket around her. She fastened the coast belt, but left it undone otherwise. Her high heels matched her dress, and tapped along the pavement.

"Grimmauld Place?" Hermione asked as they entered a relatively empty twenty-four hour McDonalds.

Ron nodded and Harry shrugged. "Yeah, good a place to start as any." The three went up to order some food and then sat down while they waited.

"We obviously need to find a way to destroy them. We obviously can't just walk into any old shop and ask for basilisk venom, because all magical shops are being watched and have been since last October. Could a backstreet dealer work?" Hermione asked.

Harry paused slightly. "Could do. But I've killed a basilisk before and they are fucking tough as nails. Also the fact there was only about 3,000 left worldwide in 1927 doesn't help. That means the venom is rare as shit, and only ministry approved shops sell it. But with the Ministry gone to shit in this war, I doubt they care about it to much."

"How do you know that?" Ron gaped.

"Newt Scamander," Hermione answered for him. "Fantastic Beasts and where to find them. It was one of our first year books."

"Oh," Ron said quietly. "Didn't read those."

Harry and Hermione realised he was thinking of his studious older brother Percy who had failed to appear at the wedding, and that would lead to Bill, and all the memories he associated with him. They could hardly comprehend how hard it was for him. They were torn out of their thoughts when the woman at the counter gave a happy wave to signify their food was ready. A man with dark hair, glasses and a handsome face accompanied by a woman with blonde hair and a beautiful smile smiled at him from their table as he went to get their food, and he instantly liked the pair. Walking back, he put the tray on the table and Hermione dived for a burger, and took a dainty bite.

"Hungry," she said after swallowing.

"We just ate," Ron said quietly, uncharacteristically not diving for the food on the table.

"Come on Ron," Harry said gently. "I know you're hungry. You always scratch your stomach when you are."

Ron abruptly stopped scratching his belly, like he had been caught red-handed. "It just feels...wrong." Ron sighed.

"I know," Hermione soothed. "But still eat, Bill wouldn't want you to go hungry."

"Bill wouldn't want fucking anything now Voldemort's done with him!" Ron hissed quietly, but with enough venom to destroy all the Horcruxes they needed to. He quickly composed himself. "I'm sorry, not your fault." He sighed. "I'm just _so fucking angry!_ "

"I know Ron," Harry said, honestly not knowing what to do with himself. He looked to Hermione who was just staring into her lap eating quietly. The nice couple laughed at something the man had said before they kissed, and the lady behind the counter was dancing to _American Pie._ A normal world, unaware of the constant death, of the war that was happening all around them. "But you have to eat."

Ron looked at him and his blue eyes were so full of sadness Harry just wanted to curl up and cry. "OK," Ron said, his voice breaking. He reached across and grabbed a pack of chicken nuggets. Harry pushed some chips and a Coke over to him before starting to eat his own.

"So we get to Grimmauld Place, get that book, and find out who R.A.B is," Harry said, dunking a chip into tomato sauce. "Then find R.A.B, get that locket and destroy it. What then?"

"We go to all the places Voldemort has made an achievement, or lost something massive." Ron said. "It's as good a place to start as any."

There was a slight noise as the door opened and two workers walked in. Ron and Hermione didn't pay them any attention at first, but Harry noticed the slightest hint of a cut against one of their necks. He stood up under the pretence of getting more sauce to see if he could get a better look at his face. Another glance confirmed his suspicions. He sat back down and whispered to the other two. "Dolohov and someone else."

They both stiffened at the first name. Hermione's hand jumped to her chest, just above her rather large left breast, and Harry knew she was touching the scar Dolohov had gave her. Ron glared at the man with fire in his eyes and Harry suddenly felt the contagious hatred oozing from Ron, and he too glared at the man who had hurt his friends so much.

Ron stood up and yelled a spell and the entire McDonalds exploded into chaos. Napkins flew and the lady behind the counter shrieked and ducked down. The handsome man jumped in shock, quickly ushering his wife behind the counter to cover. Ron and Hermione ducked behind a parting wall and Harry flipped a table for his own cover. Spells and curses lit the room up in brilliant splashes of light, and Harry saw the man ushering the two women out the employee-only door behind the kitchens before Dolohov cast a powerful _Confringo,_ glancing over Harry's shoulder and blowing up the ceiling, causing it to collapse and cave in, blocking him inside.

Hermione took Dolohov's friend out with a powerful blasting hex that blew him out the window and into the street where he slammed into the side of a car, causing shrieks and the car alarm to go off. As it was eleven'o'clock in the summer, and in London, people were still out, their coats zipped up. This was happening in public.

Determined to finish this as soon as possible, Harry fired a tripping jinx at Dolohov causing him to fall flat on his face. He got up to rush them but the man he had trapped had picked up a vat of butrning hot chip oil and dumped it over the Death Eater's head. Dolohov screamed, firing random curses, including a cutting curse which sliced the man across the stomach, causing him to collapse with a grunt.

Hermione stood up and fired a low powered _Reducto_ which blew Dolohov's flailing arm off, causing his wand to soar through the air. With marksman accuracy, Ron fired a curse of his own, obliterating the wand into tiny splinters. Harry stunned the man so he didn't have to be conscious through such pain.

"This is for my brother, you son of a bitch," Ron said coldly, standing over Dolohov with Harry and Hermione flanking him. " _Avada Kedavra!"_

Harry didn't doubt Ron had enough hatred to cast the horrible spell but was still surprised when the green light struck Dolohov in the heart, killing him instantly. The trio looked at the hated Death Eater with one last look of disdain before Harry waved his wand and the body started to burn. They revived the man with a quick _Ennervate._ However the instant the man woke up, Harry knew something was dreadfully wrong.

The man had rasping, quick breaths and blood dribbled out his mouth. He flinched away from Hermione but Ron seemed to calm him. Harry was busy trying to frantically figure out if it was possible to save the man.

"Tell Victoria," the man choked out. "Tell her I love her," he managed to laugh slightly. "Well wasn't that fucking cheesy?"

Ron gave a small laugh of his own. "A bit, mate. A bit. I'll tell her. I promise you that."

The man's eyes clouded over even as he smiled. "There's so much of this world I never got to understand. Like you. What was that?"

"Don't say that!" Harry said still scanning the man, but he had no idea what to do. It wasn't looking good. The man's top was turning red with blood.

"Magic," Hermione said, kneeling beside Ron in front of the dying man. "That was magic,"

"Magic..." The man said in wonder as the light behind his eyes finally went out.

Hermione stood up and Ron closed his eyes whilst Harry desperately tried to save the dead man. "Come on, come on! _Episkey! Reparo! Please!"_ Harry begged.

He sat there for a minute before standing up, wiping his face. Once he stood up, he turned and silently left out the employee-only door, effortlessly levitating the rubble away. The counter-woman was long gone, but the beautiful woman waited there, sobbing and with bloody hands where she had been beating at the door. It was just a back-yard area for smoke breaks, with only one exit other than the door she had come through, which was a metal security door which led out of the alley and onto the street.

She scrambled away from them crying but Hermione wrapped her into a hug and the two cried together. After a while, Victoria tried to pry past Ron and Harry and they let her. She sprinted in and fell to her knees beside her husband. His ring was caked with blood. She cradled his body crying hysterically.

"Victoria?" Ron said timidly.

She looked up at him with hate in her eyes and he knew she blamed them personally for his death. Harry could tell hate wasn't an emotion she was used to. The happy, beautiful smile he had seen on her face was long gone, and her still beautiful face was now stained with tears. Harry looked from Victoria, around him to the rubble that used to be McDonalds and then back to Victoria. He heard sirens in the distance, and the room filled with flashing blue light.

"He said he loved you," Ron told her. "He wanted me to tell you."

"Mark," she said. "His name was Mark!" She sobbed slightly.

Harry's heart went out to her at that moment, and his hand unintentionally found Hermione's. Ron stepped back and she continued sobbing.

Two policemen burst in, and Harry was quick to turn around and cast the _Confundus_ on them wandlessly. Hermione and Ron ran out the back door at his request, leaving him alone with Victoria and the two policemen.

"You ran a thorough investigation, and concluded that the man who was burnt was the murderer. He died after tripping and falling into a vat of oil, and the heat caused his clothes to catch fire. You will clean this up, and report it the way I have told you. You will give this woman whatever she needs." He turned and left them blinking in confusion. "I'm so sorry this had to happen to you," Harry said to her. "I tried to help him, I really did. I promise. I am so, so sorry."

Victoria looked up into his eyes and she stared at him for a moment. "Thank you," she whispered. She turned away from him and kept staring at her husbands corpse. Harry wanted to die leaving out that McDonalds.

* * *

"What did you do?" Hermione asked him.

" _Confundus._ " He responded. "She's not being arrested for anything. Let's go." Harry grabbed Ron's hand and then took Hermione's more gently and they apparated to Grimmauld Place. They landed accurately on the top step with Ron waving his arms as he almost slipped off. He turned around, and sure enough, there were nine Death Eaters that he could see on this street alone. Turning back around, they opened the door and stepped through.

"How did they find us?" Ron asked. "Do you reckon you still have the Trace Harry?"

Harry shook his head. "It always breaks at seventeen. Unless a Death Eater got one of us with a tracking spell at the wedding."

The three went cold at the thought, but were interrupted, unexpectedly, by the voice of Mad-Eye Moody.

" _Severus Snape?_ "

"We aren't Snape!" Harry roared and felt his tongue curl back on itself. The, almost as if realising they were telling the truth, his tongue unraveled. He realised if he had been Snape, there would probably have been something nastier. Gingerly, Harry took another step forward, and something shifted in the shadows at the end of the hall. Before they could say another word, a figure had risen up out of the carpet, tall, dust-coloured, and terrible; Hermione screamed and so did Mrs. Black, her curtains flying open. The grey figure was gliding towards them ,faster and faster, it's waist length hair and beard streaming behind it, it's face sunken, fleshless, with empty eye sockets: Horribly familiar, dreadfully altered, it raised a wasted arm, pointing at Harry. Even though it had no eyes, Harry felt it was staring directly into his soul.

"No, Stop!" Harry yelled to no avail. "We didn't kill you! I didn't kill you!"

At the word 'kill', the figure turned back into dust, though the dust kept its momentum and covered Harry's shoes. He realised his shirt was slightly burnt at the cuff, and turned around to inspect the others. Ron's jeans were torn and Hermione looked ruffled, but still breathtakingly beautiful. "Can you check us for tracking spells?" Harry asked the latter.

"Of course," she said, and with a few waves of her wand, she was done. "Nothing. That means they didn't track us there. Maybe it was a coincidence?"

"No," Harry shook his head. "Dolohov was at the wedding. He wouldn't be there by coincidence."

" _Homenum revelio."_ Ron murmured, and the two looked at him in shock. "I learn just by being near you two smart-arses. No-one but us and old Dusty here. I need to sleep. We'll look for the lineage book tomorrow, assuming it's even here."

With that, he was gone up the stairs, leaving Harry and Hermione standing awkwardly in the corridor.

"I didn't mean anything by that kiss," Hermione blushed furiously after a couple minutes of tension became to much for her to handle.. "Like I said before, it was in the heat of the moment, and didn't mean anyth-"

Harry cut her off by pulling her into his arms and giving her a deep, meaningful kiss. She moaned in pleasure and shock, but leaned into it. Harry pulled away after a couple of seconds, and stared into her eyes with an uncharacteristically cocky smirk on his face. "Are you sure?"

"Harry, I don't-"

Harry kissed her again, swiftly interrupting her argument. Again, she didn't resist.

"Oh, I love you," Hermione said breathlessly, her hands in his. Harry kissed her again.

"I love you too, 'Mione," Harry said into her ear, his hot breath tickling her ear. He pushed her up against the wall and pinned her there. He lifted her so her legs wrapped around his waist, and her arms around his neck. They kissed roughly and fiercely for a while, until Harry broke away. Ron had silenced Mrs. Black on the way up, so the only thing he could hear was the combined breathing of both him and Hermione.

Silently still, Harry led Hermione into the kitchen, and rummaged around in her bag for a bit to her curiosity.

"Aha!" He cried as he pulled out his muggle radio that he had recieved on returning to the Dursley's. "We never got to finish our dance, my lady." Harry mock-bowed, leaving his hand extended for Hermione to take whilst staring at the floor.

"No, we didn't, good sir." After she didn't immediately take it, he made a beckoning motion with the fingers of his extended hand, and Hermione took it laughing.

Harry pumped his fist with his spare arm and mouthed a "Yes!" Much to Hermione's amusement. He led her to a table where he set up the radio, and flicked it on. It crackled into life, but the noise was distorted by the residual magic.

"Bugger," he cursed and waved his hand. He didn't know what he did, but the sound cleared and he could hear the song perfectly. He didn't know this one as well as others, but he and Hermione danced to it either way.

 _"Come and get your love!"_ Harry sung badly as he swayed Hermione side to side, one hand on her him, and the other in her hand. Her jacket lay abandoned on a chair. Hermione laughed.

"God, your terrible!" She laughed, dancing with him, but mostly because he was forcing her to.

 _"Come and get your lurrvveee!"_ Harry sang, twirling Hermione around, and she giggled even more.

"How much firewhiskey did you drink?" She asked. "And why is it only affecting you now?"

Harry shut her up with a powerful kiss, and the two kept dancingfor hours into the night and finally fell asleep together in each other's arms on a sofa in the living room. Harry had this moment of happiness that he was sure would never be beaten as the best moment in his life. Despite the terrible things that had happened today, despite that they were running with the shadows of the night, he had managed to find happiness today, and he wouldn't trade it for anything.

* * *

Harry woke up with a yawn and his heart stopped as he saw Hermione beside him. It was then he remembered the fun of last night, and he settled down happily. He gazed lovingly at the sleeping girl and fiddled with her hair slightly as he thought about what was going to change now they were together. Well, he assumed they were.

Hermione stirred slightly and snuggled into Harry's chest. "Fuck I've dreamed about this since forever." Her eyes snapped open, and she quickly slapped herself as if to check it wasn't a dream this time as well.

"Forever, huh?" Harry raised an eyebrow, smiling. Hermione blushed again and sat up, still in her dress.

Trying her best to ignore him, Hermione decided to extract her special revenge. "Get this dress off me will you?"

Harry's mouth dried and his trousers grew uncomfortable as the most beautiful woman in existence asked him to undress her. He quickly unzipped the dress, and pulled it down, giving it a quick tug over her hips, revealing her beautifully sculpted arse. She stepped away, and stepped out of the dress only in her underwear, and smirked at Harry's gobsmacked expression. Always the tease, she dug into her bag, got some good clothes and left to get changed elsewhere.

"Ugh, I'm having a crisis!" Harry said in a mock-raspy voice, collapsing onto the sofa backwards. Ron came down the stairs and into the living-room, a smile on his face. "While I'm glad you two got together, can you keep it down tonight? Cause I couldn't sleep last night over your singing and that rather loud radio." He laughed at Harry's agape expression.

Hermione walked into the kitchen, completely mortified. She had no idea where she had gotten the idea for Harry to undress her from, and now she was more embarrassed than she ever thought possible. She blushed even harder when Harry gave her an evil smirk, knowing full well how embarrassed she was. However he just winked and took a bite out of some bacon Ron had cooked. It seemed Ron had inherited his mother's cooking skills as his food was exquisitely good.

The three of them sat around the table laughing, chatting, and eating. Harry held Hermione's hand and they were all together as a family for the first time in a while. It was good. Harry smiled as Ron roared with laughter at his own joke, and glanced at the beautiful Hermione who was also laughing delicately. Life was good.

For the moment.


End file.
